One of two women who died in a suspected suicide pact had made a formal complaint about the police, it emerged last night.

At the time of her death, she was ‘deeply unhappy’ with how the Metropolitan Police had dealt with harassment allegations she had made against a man.

It is understood that a suspect was charged over her claims in 2008, but last night it was unclear whether the case went ahead. The woman had complained to police over how they had handled her case.

Grim task: Emergency services personnel wearing chemical protection suits carry out one of the bodies from the suicide-pact flats today

The revelation prompted a four-hour crisis meeting at Scotland Yard
yesterday, and detectives later called in the Independent Police
Complaints Commission to investigate its previous contact with the
woman.

The Mail can reveal that letters making misconduct allegations about
the police were found at the small flat in Putney, South-West London,
where the bodies of the two women were found on Thursday.

Firefighters and paramedics in decontamination suits attend the double-suicide

By the time it was received, officers had already been called to the
property in the Lower Richmond Road where the bodies were found.
Sources said senior officers are certain the tragedy could not have
been prevented by police. Despite this, the Met has asked the IPCC to
investigate this aspect of the case.

The women are thought to have gassed themselves using a combination
of household chemicals after sealing the doors and windows with tape.